Warereh (The Legend of Mt. Lokon, Klabat, Soputan, and Manado Tua)

LOKON, Klabat, Soputan, and Manado Tua are mountains in North Sulawesi. Do you know the legend behind those four mountains? Read on!

A long time ago, gods and humans could interact one to another. They could meet, see, and talk among them. Gods lived in the sky and humans lived on earth. Gods often went to earth and humans also could visit the gods in the sky.

They used two mountains to travel. Those two mountains were Lokon and Soputan. The two mountains were very high. Gods could climb down the mountains anytime they liked. However, human could only climb up the mountains once a year. And not every human could do that. Only special humans could visit the gods in the sky.

The gods gave tight selection to humans who wanted to visit them. Humans who were allowed to meet the gods were very happy. T'hey always told everybody about the gods' place in the sky. They were amazed with the beauty of the sky. Other humans who heard the story were jealous. They also wanted to see the beauty of the gods' place in the sky.

One of the humans who really wanted to go to the sky was Warereh. He had been dreaming that someday he could go to the sky. He wanted to have a better life. He knew that the gods had the secrets of everything.

He wanted to be like his friends who could go to the sky. Their lives had changed. They were richer and smarter. They had been told about the secrets of lives by gods. The gods had selected one person to visit them.in the sky. Warereh was upset! He was angry. He had been waiting for a long time and still he had to wait for another year.

Warereh silently climbed up Lokon Mountain. He climbed it silently. The mountain was very big and high. He had been climbing for months. And finally, he was at the top of the mountain.

Warereh was very happy. Although he was not at the gods' place, he could hear the gods' conversation. Unfortunately, one of the gods found out that Warereh was hiding and trying to hear their conversation. The gods were angry!

"Hey! Who are you?"

"My name is Warereh and I want to visit you all."

"Absolutely no! You know the rule. One human can visit us once a year."

"But I have been waiting for a long time."

"We don't care. That's the rule."

Warereh was helpless. He could not fight the gods. They were very powerful. Warereh thought the gods were arrogant. He wanted to give them a lesson. He had a crazy idea. He wanted to cut the mountains. So both gods and humans could not meet each other.

Warereh was looking for a tool that could help him cut the two mountains. He went to many great people. They said that Warereh's idea was crazy and they could not help him give the tool. Warereh then finally gave up. He did not want to seek other people's help. He had to make the tool by himself.

And after thinking very hard, he finally had a great idea. He made a very big sword. The sword was also very sharp. It 'could cut anything. And after the sword was ready, he again climbed Lokon Mountain. He slowly cut the top of the mountain.

And after it was done, he threw the top part of the mountain. Later it became a new mountain. People named it Klabat Mountain. Later he climbed Soputan Mountain. He then cut the top part of the mountain. He threw the part of the mountain to the sea, and it became a new mountain. People named the mountain as Manado Tua Mountain. ***